Famous in our area for her wonderful paintings depicting historical and scenic areas in Hillsborough, the above painting of downtown Hillsborough adds to her other paintings that include: Hillsborough Center, scenic Jones Road, and the lower village including the President Franklin Pierce Homestead. Sissi was born in Klosterneuburg near Vienna, Austria. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, under Professors Christian L. Martin, Maximilian Melcher and Herbert Boeckl. After her certification for Art Education, she earned the diploma in graphics and painting (Akademische Graphikerin und Malerin). Studies at the Schule des Sehens in Salzburg under Oskar Kokoschka were a decisive influence on the young artist. Comparing her work to the vibrant music of Igor Stravinsky, Oskar Kokoschka awarded her a prize in painting. Her works are held in many private and public collections both in the United States and abroad. Her work has been shown in the United States and abroad (Vienna, Zagreb and at Raiffeisenbank galleries Waidhofen a.d. Ybbs, Klosterneuburg and Admont, also at the Niederosterreichische Landesbibliothek in St. Poelten). Sissi will be demonstrating Limner painting in her studio at Hillsborough Center during Living History...

Don Watson is a singer/songwriter from Gilford, NH, who’s music has been compared to John Denver, Jim Croce and Dan Fogelberg. His songs are upbeat, inspiring and easy on the ears. Don’s newest project “Welcome Home New Hampshire” is a collection of songs based on people, places and events of the granite state. Don partnered with Steve Redic, a poet and historian from Candia, NH in the writing of these songs. Don recently performed for Governor Maggie Hassan and the Governor’s Council. He was also featured on WMUR TV’s “New Hampshire Chronicle”. In addition, Don has performed at several larger NH venues including Meadowbrook, Franklin Opera House, Hopkinton Fair, and many historical societies, libraries, farmers markets and festivals. See Don Watson’s “Welcome Home New Hampshire, Songs and Stories of New Hampshire” at the President Franklin Pierce Homestead Friday, August 14th, 7 PM...

by Cynthia Van Hazinga Some of us have lived here so long we no longer wonder; some of us are new here and have no notion of why parts of town have the names they do. In many cases, there’s a person . . . and a story . . . behind the name. Hillsborough, the Town: Sure, it’s hilly, but our town was incorporated and named for the Englishman Col. John Hill of Boston, who was said to have paid Massachusetts Governor Wentworth about $50 when the territory was known as “No. 7.” In the early 1740s, the first brave homesteaders arrived, wielding axes. The settlement was, except for Charlestown, the most northerly outpost in New Hampshire, the borderline of civilization, as it was called. 2nd NH Turnpike: This state highway between Amherst and Claremont was opened to travel in 1801; for many years it was the main artery of business between Boston and Canada and was serviced by Kimball’s Tavern in the Lower Village and Wilson’s in the Upper Village, the regulation two miles apart. Bible Hill: So called for the only large bible in town, owned by Deacon Joseph Symonds who settled in the 1770s on what was then called West Hill. Symonds was the most prominent and richest man in Hillsborough when it was incorporated. Bible Hill was also the location of the first tavern in town, operated by “Capt. Sam” Bradford, and it was there that the first town meeting was held, in November, 1772. Beard Brook, Beard Road: Elijah was the first Beard to settle in town, in about 1785. He bought a...

The Pequawket Alliance is a group of progressive historians, re-enactors, that portray life as it was in early to mid 18th century New France (Canada). The women in the camp wear 18th century attire, often layered which differs slightly from the 18th century British counterpart. They will be seen sewing, cooking, making lace and many other things that was demanded of an 18th century French woman in New France. They constantly dote on their men and constantly remind them to eat, stay hydrated and rest. They are all strong women, as to be expected for the time. The men portray Canadian Milice (militia) of New France. Canadian Milice were formed into companies, organized out of parishes, they had strong Catholic beliefs that governed how they lived. All men 16 to 60 were expected to do their part. Each Parish had a malice company, the more populated had several companies. Each company was required to drill every Sunday and was expected to be well armed with a musket, full powder horn, 20-30 pre-rolled cartridges, at least 20 extra balls (for the musket), a tomahawk and blade (knife). In battle they had no use for European style tactics. They preferred bush fighting, surprise the enemy, attack out of nowhere, give a war whoop (which was used to frighten their enemy), fire volley or fire individually. While on campaign, they could live indefinitely in the woods. However their raiding party style of warfare was so strenuous that when and if they returned, they were unrecognizable and needed long periods of time to recoup. When you see a Canadian Milice just sitting around,...

Eric Rotsinger has been portraying Mark Twain since 1997. He brings Mark Twain to life through his animated storytelling and personality. Rotsinger has presented at festivals, community events, historical societies, schools and Civil War reenactments. Rotsinger even had the honor of speaking for the Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College in Elmira, New York in the summer of 2007. While in Elmira, he also had the opportunity to exchange ideas with some of the top Mark Twain scholars and visit the Mark Twain Study and Quarry Farm, where Twain spent many summers and completed many of his most famous works. When Rotsinger puts on the white suit, he truly becomes Mark Twain.’ Living Historians Living historians are not actors, or roll players, or Halloween refugees. Historians are serious portrayers of a famous personality or personalities. Our purpose is to take years of study, volumes of text, countless hours of research and distill it down to an image that encapsulates the essence of an individual. A “true” Living Historian looks at the totality of things and is not swayed by the obnoxious vicissitudes of public opinion. Therefore, we are not bound by political correctness. If you are looking for the Hollywood version of history, then rent a movie. If you want the truth, look to Living Historians. —Eric Rotsinger (aka Mark...

Gilbert Boxing Arena, Hillsboro, N. Hamp Philip R. Harvey August 1, 2012 In an open field along West Main Street, that I assume belonged to Mr. Carlton Eaton because his corn field extended to about 200 yards from the highway at that point, a Mr. Gilbert had constructed his sports arena on the land where the west end of the Armory now stands. Gilbert’s Boxing Arena, West Main Street, Hillsboro, New Hampshire, c. 1932. Sketch by Philip Harvey He and his wife, Noreen, were active entrepreneurs during those early depression years. They ran the “Gables”, now the Town Office complex on West Main Street, that consisted of a Shell gas station, a restaurant in the small building in front along the main road, and presumably tourist rooms in the gabled building. It may have been the inspiration for the famous fictional sign that read: “STOP, EAT and GET GAS”. In those early days of the automobile when Main Street was a principal highway from points east and west, the Gables was a busy spot. But it wasn’t enough to keep Mr. Gilbert occupied fulltime so he decided to convert the barn into an athletic gym where boxers and wrestlers could train. Boxing was a big time entertainment in those days with Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney still capturing the headlines, and a pure sport of wrestling had a former Dartmouth star football player, Gus Sonnenburg, as its major attraction. The Gables, West Main Street, Hillsboro, New Hampshire, c 1931 The gym facilities were on the east end of the barn and elevated above the ground floor. A nearly...